The Other Path: The Invisible Revolution in the Third WorldUses Lima, Peru, as a case study and describes in absorbing detail the surprising and revolutionary world of the so-called informals, black marketeers who work outside the law. The reason for this underground economy is the enormous complexity of Peru's legal machinery. Hundreds of new regulations are passed each week and no private entrepreneur can hope to deal with the bureaucracy. Through detailed field studies, this book calculates the enormous economic effects of laws regulating such diverse matters as housing construction, the establishment of industries, public transport and trade. For many readers, however, the greatest contribution of this book is its political analysis. The author provides evidence to support his theory that Latin America is nearing the end of a stage in its history similar to the one experienced by European nations when mercantilist regimes dominated the continent between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. He argues that Peru is already undergoing a revolutionary and irreversible process of transformation. |
Contents
ONE Introduction | 3 |
Two Informal Housing | 17 |
THREE Informal Trade | 59 |
Copyright | |
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APRA areas authorities began benefits build bureaucratic capital City Council committees Cono Norte contracts cooperatives costs countries created economic activity efficient El Agustino established extralegal system fares forced formal business gradually groups Hernando de Soto housing ILD's incentives increase industry informal activities informal businesses informal economy informal markets informal settlements informal trade informal transport operators interests invaders invasion investment Juan Velasco Alvarado labor land legal institutions legal system Legislative Lima Lima's Magdalena del Mar market economy mercantilism mercantilist mercantilist system migration minibus operators municipal government negotiate neighborhoods obtain OdrĂa owners parties percent Peru Peru's Peruvian Photo policies political population privileges problem procedures production property rights protect public thoroughfare recognition redistributive combines reduce regulations result rights of ownership route sector settlement dwellers settlers society special rights state's street vendors traditional urban vehicles vending Villa El Salvador violence